Peeking into the Times to Come for Aviation

A lot of attention was attracted by Boeing’s NeXt division through its three electric aircraft projects—the Passenger Air Vehicle (PAV), Cargo Air Vehicle (CAV), and Odysseus ultra-long-endurance UAV. A PAV prototype was on display along with scale models of CAV and solar/battery-powered Odysseus. PAV and Odysseus have been designed and built by Aurora Flight Sciences.

Inspired by biomimicry, Airbus revealed Fello’fly, a project aimed at demonstrating the technical, operational, and commercial benefits of having two or more aircraft flying together in order to reduce fuel consumption, much as birds do.

“When birds fly in formation, they are using the updraft of the wake of the previous bird, therefore they have ‘free’ lift that reduces their own consumption” of energy, said Sandra Bour Schaeffer, head of Airbus Group Demonstrators. Calling the concept “wake-energy retrieval,” the demonstrator project aims to harvest the otherwise wasted kinetic energy generated by an aircraft wing, letting a properly positioned aircraft in trail to reduce its energy consumption from 5 to 10 per cent, without affecting passenger comfort. Tests conducted last year with two A380s confirmed the findings, Schaeffer informed. For 2021, operational trials are also planned in oceanic airspace “with real airlines and traffic management that will define the procedures for such flights,” Schaeffer said.

Roxo, an autonomous delivery device was displayed by headline sponsors FedEx Express, as it delighted delegates gliding up on to the stage to bring notes to conference MC and obeying voice commands. Jack Muhs, Regional President, FedEx Express MIESA said Roxo, created in collaboration with DEKA Research and Development Corp, will be an important part of the FedEx ecosystem and serve as a demonstration of FedEx’s goal to connect people and possibilities around the world. Muhs also announced a partnership with Dubai Airports, and the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) to define ways in which the autonomous bot can meet delivery needs in the UAE.

Russian arms exporting agency, Rosoboronexport demonstrated Russian systems designed for the counteraction to unmanned aerial vehicles of all types, at the international aviation and space exhibition Dubai Airshow 2019.